Re: the question will always be there, LEO or HEO

Hi All,
My interests were all HEO's until the failure of AO-40. Faced with putting
up a Field Day station last year meant A0-7,FO-29 and SO-50. Got one contact
on SO-50, and PARC got 100 Bonus points. Finding a station that could hear
themselves on FO-29 was to much f a challenge and AO-7 cane up in 10 M mode.
During the winter storms Power was out on the ATV repeaters for a few weeks,
and my interest returned to satellites. When the power returned, A new
distribution transformer had to be flown to Santiago Peak, I began to
televise my satellite operations.
After working AO-51 while transmitting on the METS ATV repeater I got 3
Amateurs to listen for AO-51, and two are now working the LEO birds. You do
not need an HEO, you do not need SSB to bring in new members.
Orbit times: Just try telling your Wife that you are going to work a
Satellite at 3:00 AM! AO-51 and FO-29 are available in the late evening
here, which does not cause me any domestic problems. I can sill retire by
11:00 PM, and I am alert the next day at work. Conversely SO-50, and AO-27
show up during my commute time.
In conclusion simple demonstrations, It works for new operators, and
desirable operating times count ten!
HEO, LEO, FM, Mode B, HF are things we can not change in the short term.
Speculation on what makes a successful organization is still just
speculation!
Art, KC6UQH
----- Original Message -----
From: "Diane Bruce" <db@db.net>
To: "Patrick Green" <pagreen@gmail.com>
Cc: "Amsat-BB" <amsat-bb@amsat.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 3:43 PM
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] the question will always be there, LEO or HEO
> On Sun, Mar 13, 2005 at 12:52:38AM -0600, Patrick Green wrote:
> > This is interesting. Echo is the reason I got interested in Sats. I
>
> This may be so, but AO-40 is the reason I got interested in Sats.
> I was not at all interested in LEOs. So there is at least one counter
> claim.
>
> Anectodal evidence is no evidence at all. There are a number of amateurs
> who got interested in sats because of the HEOs and who got discouraged
> when the HEOs died without being replaced. Where are the hard numbers
showing
> how many amateurs AO-51 has brought into sats? Or even of any of the other
> FM LEO birds? (Why was this not asked on the questionnaire?) Conversely,
> lets see the hard numbers for amateurs brought into the hobby by HEOs.
> It may be true that LEO FM birds do bring new blood into the hobby but
> show me the proof. It may also be true that the numbers for amateurs
> being brought into the hobby are roughly equal for both types of sats
> but where is the proof? This needs to be asked in a proper scientific
> questionnaire.
>
> > think that was the aim. The hobby is shrinking and we need to expand
> > the user base. Now as a result I'm interested in a HEO. Before I
>
> Expanding the user base should be done by bringing younger people into
> the hobby. We have been failing to demonstrate to the younger "geeks" that
sats
> are "cool." Perhaps the younger set are not attracted to 10 minute FM
> hello/goodbye birds but might be attracted to 24/7 birds. Lets have
> the proof not mere claims.
>
> Any other bleating on here about LEO vs. HEO is pure speculation with no
basis
> in fact and only serves to make people angry for no reason. Lets see those
> hard numbers. As far as whether the BoD made the right decision about
AO-51,
> that's water under the bridge. There is nothing any of us can do to bring
> back that spent money and undo that decision. The key thing now is whether
> AMSAT-NA is listening to the membership. I believe they are.
>
> - 73 Diane VA3DB
> ----
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